


let you down

by euphorickiri



Series: rina week 2020 [2]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Rina Week 2020 (HSM: The Series), Songfic, angst nation wya
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:59:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24153199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/euphorickiri/pseuds/euphorickiri
Summary: ricky watched gina walk out the door during ashlyn's thanksgiving party, but he refused to sit back and let her leave without a fightbut if someone told him what was about to happen? he would've never left
Relationships: Ricky Bowen/Gina Porter
Series: rina week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1741261
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	let you down

**Author's Note:**

> this one-shot is heavily based on let you down by nf! I apologize in advance for the angst but I hope you all enjoy!

_ Please don't come after me _

_ I just wanna be alone right now, I don't really wanna think at all _

Every time Gina had to move it was sad. But this time? She felt like she couldn’t breathe. The one time Gina finally felt like she belonged, she had to leave. The universe was constantly working against her and she was sick of it.

“Honestly, you heard what happened. I don’t think there’s any point in calling me anymore. Do you?”

Gina slammed the door behind her as she left Ashlyn’s house. She hated to admit it, but leaving Ricky behind is what hurt the most. He was the first real friend she made and he understood her better than anyone else. They just  _ got  _ each other. She knew things between them were starting to change. Moving past the friendship they have.

But Gina was leaving, and she couldn’t let it continue.

It would hurt her just as much as it would hurt Ricky, but this was necessary. She had to start all over again whether she liked it or not. Gina sobbed as she continued to walk home, silently wishing this was just some nightmare.

“ _ GINA! _ ”

She froze and turned around, dread settling in her stomach when she saw it was Ricky.

_ I feel like every time I talk to you, you're in an awful mood _

_ What else can I offer you? _

_ There's nothing left right now, I gave it all to you _

  
  


“Are you kidding me?” he demanded.

Gina noticed the tears in his eyes but didn’t say anything. He looked terrible if she was being honest. Ricky’s entire body was tense and he looked like he was going to break down at any moment. But Gina had no business to judge. She probably looked like a hot mess with how much she’s been crying.

“Why are you here?” Gina questioned as her voice shook. “Shouldn’t you be at the party?”

“How can you expect me to stay at that stupid party when I know you’re leaving?” Ricky snapped.

Gina flinched back from the anger in his voice. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down, clenching his fists tightly.

“You don’t get to leave like that,” he said stubbornly. “You didn’t let me stay silent when something was wrong, and there’s no way in hell I’m letting you bottle up whatever you’re feeling right now.”

“Why the fuck does it even matter?” Gina yelled. “I’m  _ leaving  _ Ricky. I’m not coming back and I have to restart my life all over again. Is that what you want to hear?”

“You don’t have to restart your life,” Ricky argued. “We’re all still your friends Gina. We don’t want you to just disappear. We need you, okay? I need you.”

“You don’t understand,” Gina hissed.

“You and I both know I’m the only one who does.”

She shook her head and backed away. Gina felt tears start to form in her eyes again, but she refused to let them fall in front of Ricky. 

“Just go back to the party,” she begged.

Ricky grabbed Gina’s arm in a gentle but firm grip before she could leave. “No.”

“Ricky-”

“The last thing you want to do is be alone right now.”

She hated that he was right. Gina refused to make eye contact with him, keeping her eyes on the ground. Why did he have to run after her? This would’ve been easier if he just stayed at the party like Gina thought he would.

Why was he fighting so hard for her to  _ stay _ ?

Gina didn’t even realize she was crying again until Ricky wrapped his arms around her. She melted in his embrace, hiding her face in his shoulder as she cried. Ricky held her tightly and rested his chin on top of her head, closing his eyes to hold back his own tears. 

“Why can’t you just forget me?” Gina asked quietly.

Ricky pulled her closer. “I can’t forget you, Gina. I don’t  _ want  _ to forget you.”

Her breath hitched as she registered his words. This isn’t what she wanted. This isn’t what was supposed to be  _ happening _ . Gina just wanted to disappear and leave this all behind, but it felt like she couldn’t.

She meant just as much to Ricky as he did to her. That was the truth.

Gina grabbed the back of Ricky’s jacket tightly. No one has ever fought this hard for her before. If she was being honest, she didn’t think she was worth fighting for. Her dad left right after she was born. Gina knew she was just a baby, but she still felt like she did something wrong. Even with the friends she had now, her insecurities didn’t just go away.

But for some reason, Ricky thought she was worth fighting for. 

“I don’t care what we have to do. We can facetime and text all we want. I’m not letting you go, Gina,” Ricky said fiercely. 

“It’s not that simple-”

He pulled away from Gina and looked her in the eyes. She blushed when Ricky reached out and wiped her tears away, his hand cupping her face gently. “I know it isn’t. But I’m willing to try.”

“You know it would be easier just to let me go right? Why are you fighting so hard?” Gina asked.

Ricky didn't say anything for a while. He just kept looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Gina gulped nervously, her blush darkening when Ricky leaned in. He pressed his forehead against hers, a shy smile forming on his face.

“People fight for the things they love, don’t they?”

Gina started to feel dizzy. “You can’t just say stuff like that!”

“I can if I mean it,” Ricky argued. “I know you feel it too Gina. That night at homecoming? I can’t stop thinking about it. I keep thinking about what could’ve happened if I didn’t let you leave. I should’ve kissed you back. I  _ wanted  _ to, but I was too afraid to act on my feelings.”

Gina’s heart started to race as Ricky’s lips hovered over hers.

“But I’m not afraid now.”

She surged forward and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Ricky immediately kissed her back and held her close, cradling the side of her face gently. Gina giggled when Ricky kissed all over her face. She pulled him back down for a proper kiss, never wanting this moment to end.

Her wish was taken away when her phone vibrated with several messages from her mom.

_ All these voices in my head get loud _

_ I wish that I could shut them out _

They couldn’t keep doing this. Gina wanted nothing more but to stay with Ricky, but this wasn’t some fairy tale. She was leaving, and she couldn’t put Ricky through long distance. It would be too hard on both of them. Gina clutched the front of Ricky’s shirt tightly, ignoring the concerned look he was giving her. 

If this was going to work, Gina had to  _ make  _ him want to forget her.

She moved away from Ricky and wrapped her arms around herself. Gina took a shaky breath and looked up at him, her heart aching at the loving look in his eyes.

“Gi? What’s-”

“I lied to you.”

Ricky looked confused. “What are you talking about?”

“The night I found you at the skate-park. I only said those things to make you come back to the show so Nini would quit,” Gina admitted shakily. “EJ didn’t steal Nini’s phone,  _ I  _ did. You being in the show messed her up and I wanted the lead, so I did what I had to do.”

_ Yeah, don't talk down to me _

_ That's not gonna work now _

  
  


The look on Ricky’s face was indescribable. His entire body was shaking, tears flowing down his face. 

“You’re lying,” he argued. “I don’t believe you.”

“It’s the truth,” Gina confirmed.

Ricky shook his head and backed away. “So everything that happened between us? That was all just to get to Nini?”

Gina nodded, her heart aching at the sight of Ricky. She reached out and he moved away, glaring at her harshly.

“So all of this was just one big joke to you?!” Ricky shouted. “Why the hell did you kiss me? If this was all fake, why did you even bother?”

“I don’t know, okay?!” Gina snapped.

_ Eventually, I bet that we _

_ Could have made this work _

_ And probably woulda figured things out _

_ But I guess I'm a letdown _

_ But it's cool, I checked out _

_ Oh, you wanna be friends now? _

_ Okay, let's put my fake face on and pretend now _

“I really mean nothing to you?” Ricky asked, his voice breaking.

Gina tightened her grip on her arms. “Our friendship-”

“-was just a part of your plan. Right? So don’t even try to bring it up,” Ricky finished harshly.

She slowly backed away, her guilt weighing on her chest heavily. Gina didn’t want to hurt Ricky, but this was the only way he could move on. She couldn’t keep holding onto him, not anymore. Gina had to start over. This time was harder, but it wasn’t any different.

Ricky was part of the past, and she had to let him go.

“I’m sorry Ricky. I really am.”

He didn’t say anything in response. Ricky was looking at her as if she was a stranger, anger prevalent in his eyes. Thunder boomed in the sky and it started to rain, but neither one of the teens dared to move. Gina knew this was the last time she would see Ricky, and even if he couldn’t stand the sight of her right now, she still wanted to hold onto this moment for as long as possible. She didn’t know how long they stood there, but it was long enough that Gina felt her clothes become completely soaked. She froze when Ricky walked up to her. He looked her up and down, his face emotionless. 

“I should’ve stayed at the party.”

That was the last thing he said before walking away. As soon as he was out of sight Gina sobbed freely, falling to her knees. She knew this was for the best. At least, that’s what she kept telling herself. Lightning flashed in the sky and the rain poured down harder as Gina continued to cry, the heartbroken expression on Ricky’s face stuck in her head.

He was in the past now, whether she liked it or not. 

_ I'm sorry _

_ I'm so sorry now _

_ Yeah I'm sorry _

_ That I let you down _

  
  



End file.
